Apple stuff for the rest of us

iPhone

By now you know there’s a lot to learn about iOS 7’s new features. As we dive deeper and deeper we’re discovering some customizations that make navigating your new device much easier. Today’s tip is about bookmarks in the new Safari web browser.

Depending on how you’ve organized your frequently visited sites in the past, you may find it more painful to get to those links now that you’ve put that fresh coat of paint on your phone. Fortunately, Apple has actually made it easier to get to your favorite sites, but it may require a little work on your part.

Let’s begin with where bookmarks are located currently in Safari. The book icon on the bottom left should contain all your previously bookmarked sites.

The second to last icon on the bottom right will allow you to access your bookmarks

Once into your bookmarks menu you’ll see several places where links can live. We are only concerned about the tab on the left and the edit button on the bottom right. (If for some reason you don’t see “Favorites” listed here, go back one menu by touching the button on the top left, if it is present).

If Favorites isn’t at the top of this menu, check for a back bottom in the top left. Then proceed to Edit in the bottom right

A tap of the edit button will bring in controls to rearrange, delete, or change your bookmarks. Decide which sites you visit most often and want quick access to. Tap the small arrow next to the name of the site to open the editing pane.

Tapping on the grey arrow next to a specific bookmark will bring up this editing pane

Tap on “Location” and move the bookmark to “Favorites”. By placing it in this group you will have instant access to it anytime you tap the address bar in the browser without having to dive down into bookmark submenus.

Now any time you tap on the address/search bar at the top of the page, you’ll be presented with your favorite websites immediately.

To customize further, you can tap the bookmark button again, tap into favorites and then edit the order in which your sites appear or eliminate sites or folders that you don’t want appearing every time you touch the address bar. Happy surfing!

iOS 7 is upon us. Some time midday Wednesday, that little red icon will appear on your Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod; letting you know an update is waiting. This important event must be planned for accordingly and analyzed carefully once executed.

With that in mind, please work your way through our pre and post update checklist so that you can enjoy iOS 7 Day to the fullest.

Backup, Backup, Backup

We have been encouraging our readers to take advantage of iCloud backup since iOS 5. It is simply the best way to preserve your data from loss and prevent yet another social media status update proclaiming “Got a new phone. Text me your number!” It also makes it a breeze to set up a new device.

In the spirit of the Internet, we will simply redirect you to a comprehensive source for backing up your iDevice instead of doing the work ourselves. Whether using iCloud (you should) or syncing manually to your computer, preserving your contacts, calendars, texts, game data, photos, documents, etc. is vital before updating to a new operating system.

iOS updates take space. And let’s face it, you have piles of pictures, vines, and animated gifs cluttering your device. It may be time to sift through that camera roll and delete all the pictures of the back of your hand. Pay attention to text messages as well. Images and Gifs sent via text take up quite a bit of space.

A good purge is healthy every once in a while. Make tonight the night.Hurry Up and Wait

Now it’s time to anxiously await that notification to come in. Instead of staring at your device non stop until that blessed moment (guilty), make sure you are connected to a good strong wifi or plugged in to your computer via your USB cord. Any interruption during the updating process can lead to a mess that even tech savvy people dread.

When that icon does appear, tap on your Settings app, then General, then Software Update. You’re now a click and a wait away from a brand new phone.

Take a Deep Breath and Dive In

This is going to be fun and frustrating. Many things you are familiar with on your iDevice will be different. But it’s worth exploring. To ease the pain, we will walk you through a few new features and new icons.

Most of the stock icons got a new coat of paint. Below is a graphic to help explain:

Courtesy applenapps.com

Now that you’re comfortable with the icons. Let’s discover some new features.

Now that you have an app open, double click the home button to bring up the new multitasking window. These live views of your open apps can be scrolled through, tapped to open, and flicked away to close.

Head into the Photos App and take a look at the new layout. iOS 7 groups your photos by location and date to help manage the endless stream of food pictures in your camera roll. You can even zoom out to the year view with just a pinch.

Select an image and you can share it in several different ways by tapping the share button at the bottom of the screen (box with an arrow pointing up). That will take you to the new Share Sheet where you can send it to Facebook, Twitter, Mail, Messages, Flickr, etc. You also have an option to share via AirDrop. With AirDrop, anyone who has an iPhone near you becomes a tappable contact. Simply tap their name or photo and the photo will be shared instantly.

There are many more features we will leave you to explore on your own. Siri, iTunes Radio, and Safari would be good places to start. Let us know your favorite features in the comments below.

A Word of Caution

With any new overhaul, some third part apps won’t work like you remember. In some cases they may be non functional until the developer pushes the update to the App Store (did we mention your Apps update automatically now?). Be patient as developers update their apps. And in the meantime, if you absolutely can’t function at work or school without a certain app, check to see that it is updated in the App Store before transitioning to the new operating system.

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That’s right. Apple announced not one but two iPhones at its event on Tuesday. And we are relieved to say we were mostly right with our last blog post. As is normally the case, we are happy to point out our failings:

1) The iPhone 5c (the new colorful iPhone) isn’t the low cost phone we had thought. It will take the place of the iPhone 5 (now discontinued) and be offered for $99 with a new two-year contract. Other than that it’s what we thought: the iPhone 5 in a colorful plastic housing. Oh and a slightly better front facing camera. That’s it. It’s fun and accessible. Take a look.

2) Our second wrong assumption was the timing of the iOS 7 release. Instead of the fairly normal Tuesday release, iOS 7 will be released Wednesday September 18th. Stay tuned for a more detailed post on iOS 7. In the meantime, here’s an introduction:

Now onto the good stuff. The iPhone 5s might just be the biggest upgrade to an iPhone in a “s” year. Like previous “s” upgrades, the iPhone 5s looks identical to the iPhone 5 in construction. That being said, there are subtle differences. The black is not as black and there’s a new “gold” and white option. For the record, we were very close to publishing our belief that the new “Space Grey” iPhone would replace the black iPhone. Having owned a black iPhone 5, we know just how easy it is to scratch. The new color option will most likely be more resilient to scratches (we hope).

The other major additions include iOS 7, a new and improved camera and camera UI, and the most notable addition, the Touch ID sensor. Instead of us rambling on, Apple has been good enough to provide promotional videos.

Apple describes the iPhone 5s as “the most forward-thinking” iPhone yet. Its 64-bit chip architecture sets the stage for the future of mobile computing. The camera is another leap forward towards replacing point-and-shoot dedicated cameras. iOS 7 is a restart and exciting beginning in the next chapter of iPhone. And Touch ID will soon be the next in a long line of game changing innovations from Apple.

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It’s that time of year again! At this point you’d be correct to assume it’s ApplEvangelist’s once-per-year post. This time it just so happens to coincide with a new iPhone announcement.

If you have half a brain you might be thinking that yearly iPhone announcements are fairly routine at this point. Forget all the holographic displays, laser keyboards, and see through designs that crop up on the Internet; none of that is possible at this point in a smartphone. But it’s always a safe bet that a new iPhone will come out looking much like previous models, have some nice spec bumps, a better camera, and probably come with a couple of marketable new features. That’s where the smart money is.

Tomorrow invitations should go out for a new iPhone event on September 10th. A week from Tuesday we will most certainly see a new iPhone 5S; looking almost identical to the iPhone 5 and having some performance improvements. Easy money.

But this isn’t a normal iPhone year. The landscape has changed. The normal pattern has to be disrupted, even if only slightly, in order for Apple to stay at the forefront of the mobile industry. How will they do it? Here’s what you can expect and maybe a few hopeful guesses.

iOS 7

If you’ve owned iPhones over the last 6 years, you know that with each new iteration of the iPhone operating system, improvements have been made and functionality improved. But on a purely superficial level, iOS has changed very little since it’s inception in 2007.

Though not unfamiliar to those with an iPhone in their past, iOS 7 is the biggest departure from the look and feel of the operating system since it’s introduction. For better or worse, user interface elements have received a very modern visual overhaul. There are new ways to interact with settings and notifications, more intuitive multitasking, robust sharing options, improvements to Siri, and a new Pandora-like radio service. Wrapped in the same package, the features of iOS 7 are enough to placate many users.

But iOS 7 will come to your iPhone 4, 4S, 5, iPad 2, 3, 4, and mini as well. And all free to you the user. So what miraculous new feature could be contained in iOS 7 for the new iPhone 5S?

Fingerprint Scanning

Remember us telling you to forget about all of that futuristic stuff you read on the internet? Suspend that for just a moment and wrap your head around fast, reliable, secure fingerprint scanning. While not a sure bet for the iPhone 5S, all signs point to a fingerprint scanner making it’s way into the home button of the newest flagship iPhone.

To start with, the scanner would most likely be used only to unlock or authenticate your phone. But if true, it sets the stage for far bigger possibilities. Paired with Passbook, your iTunes account, and low-powered Bluetooth, a fingerprint scanner on the iPhone might open the door for real-time mobile payments, banking, security authentication, and even voting.

Color Me Bigger

In a world where consumers are easily bored by the tiny, super powerful computers that fit in their hands (sarcasm intended), some of the most welcomed changes might very well be cosmetic.

Count on Apple offering at least one additional color option for their top tier iPhone. While white with silver and black with slate are very appealing, Apple appears to be ready to capitalize on the trendy resurgence of gold. A new “champagne” and white iPhone looks to be inbound along with a 2007 iPhone-inspired throwback combination of graphite and black. That makes four color options in all for the new iPhone.

There’s also a good chance that Apple will want to differentiate the new phone by upping it’s base storage capacity. With the cost of flash memory decreasing, it wouldn’t surprise us to see the base model iPhone 5S start with 32 GB of storage with 64 and 128 GB options as well.

There’s a commonly accepted assumption that the high-end smartphone market is fully saturated. In layman’s terms: all the people willing to spend a lot of money on a phone already have one. But the addressable market for smartphones is so much larger. A lower-cost iPhone might be the perfect solution for emerging markets in countries like India, China, and Brazil. It could also be just the catalyst needed in the US to push would-be smartphone buyers into the arms of Apple and away from Android devices.

But what concessions would have to be made to make an iPhone more affordable? Luckily, they don’t appear to be many. Rumors suggest the iPhone 5C will essentially be an iPhone 5 on the inside but with a plastic housing. The 5C could come in multiple colors (as many as five or six) and might retail for as low as $350.

Wait! What? $350 doesn’t seem like a bargain at all. After all, you can walk into any carrier store right now and get an Android for free with a new contract. Here in the US, you’ll most likely be able to get this phone for the same deal under contract, as well. But did you catch that last part? What most Americans fail to recognize is their indentured servitude to Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc. Buried in that ridiculous phone bill is a subsidy fee for that phone in your hand. You may have paid 99¢ for the phone upfront but the carriers are padding your bill for two years. You actually pay much more than the phone is worth over the life of your contract.

Now imagine a $350 iPhone you can buy straight from Apple. All of a sudden the power has shifted between you and your carrier. You don’t need them anymore, you already have a great phone. Now they have to actually TRY to earn your business and there is no longer a subsidy being added to your bill every month.

Coupled with an in-store iPhone return program and the possibility of financing a phone through your iTunes account, the entire carrier model in the US could be turned on its head.

Anything Else?

It’s Apple so you never know. They may have something up their sleeve. Chances are we won’t see much else beyond iPhones and maybe updates to the iPod touch.

That being said, an iWatch concept might be introduced to get developer and consumer interest going and there’s always the AppleTV unicorn in the back of everyone’s mind. We think those things are coming, but later in the fall.

What do you think? Are you excited about the new operating system and possible updates to the iPhone? Let us know in the comments. And in the meantime, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date during this exciting couple of weeks.

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In reality,
people are confused by the complexity of the consumer electronics
market, and focus on the horse-race aspect of marketshare numbers,
stock prices and other metrics. But the reality is that Apple was
very successful and very profitable two years ago, one year ago and
remains so today. Android had and will always have much bigger
market share by far, and Apple had and will continue to have much
bigger profits by far, as it goes after the “sweet spot” of the
market while competitors slug it out in the zero-margin
segment.

A well reasoned analysis of Apple’s
current market perception. Apple will never cater to the whims of
every consumer. They search for the sweet spot and trust that their
long term iterative strategy will pay off.

It’s that gift-giving time of year and in the spirit of the season I will share rule number one in our house: don’t buy the ApplEvangelist anything technology related unless it comes from Apple and with a receipt. Other technology items must be pre-approved and cash is always the best option. Is the ApplEvangelist a little bit Grinchy? Not at all. I prefer to think of it as being very practical. There isn’t enough time in the day or space in my house for devices that don’t get used. Before technology passes through these doors it is thoroughly scrutinized for its own merits along with how it will fit into the existing workflow.

Typically, when evaluating an addition to the ApplEvangelist ecosystem, the price tag gets covered up. It’s about how it works, not how much it costs. Ideally, the same process would be considered when anyone makes a technology purchase for themselves or a loved one. But these are the Holidays and there are a lot of cheap gadgets on store shelves. It’s easy to see how, for a relatively small amount of money, someone could make a big splash by purchasing something like a tablet for a friend, family member, or themselves. The race to the bottom has resulted in upwards of a hundred different tablets from which to choose. All of the major players are involved including Amazon, Google, and even Apple. So you’re safe in choosing the cheapest option, right?

Wrong. Seeing as this is an Apple blog I won’t pontificate (again) on the merits of the more expensive Apple products. At least not for long. There are already numerous posts on this site extolling the virtues of an Apple iPad over more affordable options. No, this time we’ll consult real world data. It’s one thing to read over and again why an iPad is superior. It’s another to see how people who have already purchased tablets are using them.

That’s where the disconnect exists. Over the last year, Apple’s competition has been pumping out cheaper and cheaper options in an attempt to secure a slice of the tablet market for themselves. And it’s worked. Apple’s market share has continually eroded since once controlling 90% of the market. Now, according to market researchers, Apple only controls roughly 57% of the tablet market. This must mean there are a lot of great tablets being used though out the US that are not from Apple.

Not so fast. According to internet metrics, roughly 91% of all tablet web traffic originates from iPads. That means of all the non-Apple tablets purchased, only 20% are actually being used. To put it another way, of every 100 tablets sold, 43 of them are non-Apple devices. Of those 43, only 9 are being used to surf the web.

In the famous words of Jerry Seinfeld, “What is the deal?” What are people doing with these inexpensive
tablets? They are not shopping or downloading apps or books. They are not surfing the web or using them to video chat. It is clear that once these tablets make it home, they are not proving to be very useful. Are these really viable tablets at an inexpensive price or merely really expensive paperweights? And is it worth the cheaper price if you or your giftee rarely uses it?

Tim Cook said it best when asked about the stigma of premium pricing on Apple products:

Price is rarely the most important thing. A cheap product might sell some units. Somebody buys it and they feel great when they pay the money, but then they get it home and use it and the joy is gone.

Are Apple tablets almost $100 more than competing devices in the same class? Yes. Is it worth it to pay a little more for a useful device or a little less for a glorified doorstop? Will you bite the bullet and ignore the sticker shock for a few minutes, or risk getting a cheap tablet home and be stuck with buyer’s remorse for months to come?

DECEMBER 2013 UPDATE

Something rarely acknowledged in tablet purchasing decisions is the incredible amount of “added value” that comes with an Apple device.

Specifically, in regard to iOS devices like the iPad, Apple includes, at no extra charge, access to their entire productivity and creativity suites. Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iMovie, Garageband, and iPhoto. These apps turn your iPad into an incredible tool for creation on par with most full-fledged laptops or desktop computers (easier and better in many cases).

The less tangible value add is found at your local Apple Store. At this point, most people in the US are no further than 50-75 miles from an Apple retail location (usually closer). An iPad owner is virtually guaranteed to get any issue resolved by visiting an Apple Store. This “feature” is almost immeasurable in regard to monetary value. Through our own personal experiences, it has literally saved us thousands of dollars. In some cases entire devices were replaced for very small issues. Other situations would have rendered another manufacturer’s tablet useless (and a waste of money, regardless of how cheap). Yet, in every instance, our iPads were replaced at no cost.

Other add-ons included in the slightly higher Apple price is an enormous ecosystem of apps (almost half a million iPad specific apps), theft and loss protection, data recovery and syncing, software security and compatibility, and completely cost free updates to the operating system (even the 4 year old original iPad still receives the latest software improvements).

Without a doubt, the big box retailers like Best Buy and Walmart will try to sell you a “more affordable” tablet. But while the cost savings now is enticing, the risk of your purchase being rendered useless should weigh heavy.

Would you prefer paying $400 for a powerful tool you will use for years or $250 for what may soon be a pretty paperweight?

I hate moving. In my adult life I have moved domiciles 8 times in 15 years. Packing boxes, filling nail holes and painting, and using advanced geometry to figure out how to squeeze the couch out the front door slowly kills part of my soul with each moving truck that shows up in front of my current residence. In many ways it would be easier just to sell everything you own with the house and start from scratch. But no one wants your blender or mattress. They might need a couch but they don’t want yours. And there’s still the issue of your clothes, CDs, DVDs, photo albums, toiletries, etc. These are things you would never leave behind. Why would you? You’ve worked hard and spent a lot of time and money to find your music and movies, pick out your clothing, curate your photos, and organize your life.

So the question becomes, “Why would you do this with your smartphone/tablet?”

There are a lot of obvious criteria used when someone is looking for a new smartphone or tablet. Oftentimes it boils down to wanting the newest or cheapest device. Maybe you like having the device everyone is talking about. Or it’s time for a new phone and you can save a little money by going with a different brand. These are very valid concerns but they fail to acknowledge a (not so) new and growing facet of our digital lives: data portability.

Take a minute to look at your smartphone. How many apps do you have? What movies, music, or tv shows have you purchased? What pictures on your phone could you not stand to lose? When it’s time for a new device, are you willing to throw it all away? Though Microsoft and Google are working feverishly to solve this problem, their business models get in the way. With each new handset comes different hardware capabilities and carrier restrictions. Some of your data can be moved from one device to another but much of it will be lost. A lot of your apps won’t work on your new device because of screen resolution or changes to the operating system. There are solutions for moving photos, contacts, and music but they are rarely easy or intuitive. It’s not like packing up your house and moving somewhere new. In fact, this more closely equates to bulldozing your house with everything in it and starting over from scratch.

Now imagine buying a new home and the moment you’re handed the keys, you walk in, turn on the lights and all of your stuff is already there. The furniture arranged, cabinets full, photos, CDs, DVDs, and clothes all organized exactly as you had them in the old place. No packing, hauling, loading, cramming, and certainly no trashing.

The only platform that allows for this simplicity is Apple. Moving from one Apple device to another is virtually seamless. Yes, Apple to Apple. Moving from Android or Windows Phone to an Apple device will not afford the same luxuries. Then again, moving from Android to Android won’t either. There are faults with the closed Apple ecosystem but this is not one of them. Once you’re part of it, you will never lose those things which you’ve purchased, downloaded, or stored. If your device is lost, stolen, drowned, or crushed, you’ll simply login to your new Apple device and carry on with your life like nothing ever happened. That alone makes platform loyalty virtually necessary. But there are more benefits still.

Few of us have second houses or weekend cabins but, more and more, we have secondary devices. For those who have had the privilege of vacationing or staying away from home for a weekend or longer, you know how difficult it is to replicate your lifestyle while away from your home. There are things you can’t bring with you, different surroundings with which to acclimate, etc. Your tablet doesn’t have to behave that way. Apple makes it easy to have all of your music, movies, books, tv shows, photos, contacts, and more right on your iPad with no effort from you whatsoever. Every App you’ve ever purchased for your iPhone is available on your iPad as well. Many times in a much better experience.

If you already own an iPhone or iPod touch, there is absolutely no sense in purchasing a tablet that isn’t an iPad. You’ll only end up spending more money to populate your Android, Amazon, or Windows tablet with the apps you like from your iPhone (if they’re even available). Are some of those tablets cheaper? Absolutely. But you’ll more than make up the difference in the content you have to repurchase.

In the heat of the purchasing moment, sometimes it seems easier to go with what is cheaper, newer, or different. There are other considerations you must address, however. Do you hate having to salvage your contacts every time you change phones? Is moving your music, photos, and videos to your new device always a hassle? Does your heart hurt a little when you have to repurchase that app you like so much because it doesn’t work on your new device? Save yourself the heartache, hassle, and the money.

The excitement of a new house is quickly supplanted by the daunting task of packing, salvaging, buying new things, and, yes, trashing that which can’t come with you. And while these are necessary evils with moving, they don’t have to be when it comes to your smartphone and tablet.